1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a device for site-specific traffic analysis, including an arrangement of at least one radar sensor at a traffic space and including an evaluation unit.
2. Description of the Related Art
Induction loops (also referred to as contact loops) which are embedded into the roadway are known for the detection of vehicles in a traffic lane in front of traffic lights, which allow the presence of the vehicle to be detected by a change in the inductivity due to a vehicle situated over the induction loop. However, the necessary installation of the wire loop in the roadway is complex. Moreover, an induction loop only allows the detection of a sufficiently large metallic object.
In addition, light barrier measuring devices are known, in which a light barrier is oriented transversely to the roadway. A vehicle passing through the light barrier is thus detectable. A transmitter must be situated on one side of a roadway for this purpose, while a reflector or a receiver is situated on the other side of the roadway. If a light barrier extends across a roadway having multiple traffic lanes, a distinction regarding on which traffic lane a detected object is situated is not readily possible.
Published German patent document DE 10 2007 032 091 B3 describes a method for monitoring a railroad crossing, in which initially an image of an object situated on a road section on one side of a danger zone is recorded with the aid of cameras directed in a first direction and cameras directed in the opposite direction, and the object is detected in a road section situated on the other side of the danger zone by comparing the image to the image of another camera. In this way, it should be possible to signal a danger zone-free railroad crossing.
Published German patent application document DE 10 2006 040 542 A describes a device for monitoring a railroad crossing using a video camera, whose signal is transmitted to a train with the aid of radio signals. In this way, a train operator should be able to detect the area of the railroad crossing, although no visual contact exists yet.
Published German patent application document DE 196 12 579 A1 describes a system for monitoring a danger zone at full barrier railroad crossings including a rotating radar distance meter, which horizontally scans the danger zone. Reference marking points are situated on the boundary of the danger zone to limit the scanning to the area within these marking points. As an alternative, sector elements of the danger zone may be stored according to length and angle, and the scanning of the danger zone may be limited to the stored sector elements with the aid of electronic means.
In the known danger zone monitoring with the aid of a rotating radar range finder, the configuration of the space to be monitored must be adapted to the existing danger zone in a complex manner.